30 Volunteers Donate Time To Children's Service League

Monday

Dec 16, 2013 at 4:08 AMNov 25, 2015 at 10:20 AM

Fort Smith residents Quade Basham and Rosemary Leavell are among 30 area volunteers who donate their time and passion for the Children’s Service League, which provides clothing and shoes to local schoolchildren in need.

Fort Smith residents Quade Basham and Rosemary Leavell are among 30 area volunteers who donate their time and passion for the Children’s Service League, which provides clothing and shoes to local schoolchildren in need.

Housed in a former Fort Smith school and looking somewhat like a retail store, the League is a place where children can find free shirts, pants, socks, shoes, coats, hats, gloves and other items.

The League also is where Basham and Leavell are answering personal callings. Basham has been a League volunteer for 13 years, while Leavell is entering her 12th year; both are among the longest-serving volunteers.

“It is work to volunteer here, but it’s so rewarding,” said Basham. “We wash clothes at our homes, and then we organize and put away the clothes, and we do shopping, too. Keeping it all organized can be a little challenging, but it’s so worth it.”

The League is the 2013 recipient of the annual Times Record Community Christmas Card, which allows readers to “sign” the card before it’s printed in the Christmas Eve edition. Names will be printed for $2 per name, with the money being donated to the League; each year, the card benefits a local nonprofit.

Children who participate in the League are referred by their school teachers, principals and counselors. League volunteers are “assigned” schools, meaning they take participating children from the school to the League to “shop,” said Leavell. Traditionally, children visit once a school year to “shop” at the League, but some situations can deem a second or third visit necessary, she said.

“Sometimes, the child comes out of a custody issue with only so many clothes, or a landlord who evicts a family might not turn loose of a child’s clothing,” said Leavell, who helps children from Ballman, Carnall and Cavanaugh elementary schools. “Growing spurts, fires and natural disasters also can make it where a child needs more than one visit per school year.”

“I think the economy might play a little bit into why the children need help, but sometimes, the children move, or there’s a custody issue or they’re being raised by grandparents,” she said. “There’s all kinds of reasons, but I know that I just want to help the children.”

Basham balances caring for her own four children with the time she donates to the League. She works with children from Cook Elementary School, and for her, the children’s reactions to getting clothes and shoes never go unnoticed.

“The kids’ reactions are all over the spectrum, and many of the children love everything they see,” Basham said. “They’ll say, ‘How much do I owe you?’ and ‘How much do you get paid to work here?’ I’ll tell the children they don’t owe us anything, and we don’t get paid to volunteer here.”

Leavell also engages with each child during his or her visit.

“They’re so happy to have clothes and shoes that are their own,” she said. “A lot of the children will come in here wearing clothes from an older sibling, and the clothes are really big.

“Or they might not be wearing socks or shoes,” Leavell added. “When the kids come here, they get so excited because they get to pick out the clothes. That — picking out clothes — is a big thing to them. That makes them very happy.”

Basham agreed.

“We had one boy who was in here who was wearing pants that were size 10,” she said. “He was actually a size 6, and so we fit him in size 6 jeans. He was so happy.”

It doesn’t take long for the volunteers to feel attached to the children. That bond can form as quickly as five minutes, Leavell said.

“When we go pick up the kids and bring them here to the CSL, we know that child’s aunt’s name, all of their siblings’ names and so on,” she said with a smile. “You get attached to the kids quickly, and they get excited to see you the next time they come here.”

Once the children receive the clothes and shoes, a boost in their self-esteem is apparent, Leavell said.

“I’ve never had a kid who didn’t want to come here for this,” she said. “Once they understand what this program is about, and what they are going to get, they are excited. They can’t wait to see us.”

Kim Wohlford, League president, also is happy to see Basham, Leavell and the other volunteers.

“Quade has continued to be able to help us through her several pregnancies, and she is able to bring her small children here, who help her,” she said. “Quade is very good with the kids and knowing what styles the kids like.”

Leavell’s presence also benefits the League, Wohlford said.

“Rosemary is very good at finding the best bargains on our tennis shoes for the children, and she likes working with the younger kids,” she said. “Both volunteers are great, but we do need more volunteers.”

Those interested in volunteering can call 461-2060. Volunteers “almost immediately” will feel a bond with the children, Basham said.

“You want these kids to be comfortable and happy so they will perform well in school,” she said. “You want them to be happy.”

Basham then smiled and glanced at the floor.

“Actually, it makes me want to do even more for the children than I’m doing now,” she said. “These kids, they’re like family to us.”

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